UP assembly polls 2017: Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi joins BJP, attacks Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi : In another setback for the congress party, Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the UP Assembly polls.

It may be mentioned here that Rita Bahuguna Joshi was a Congress MLA from Lucknow Cant, Joshi is a prominent Brahmin face of the party.

Rita Bahuguna joined the BJP in the presence of party chief Amit Shah.

Addressing a press meet after resigning from Congress on Thursday, Rita Bahuguna said it was not an easy decision for her but she had taken it in the interest of the country and Uttar Pradesh.

The former President of the Congress state unit told the media she had resigned her membership of the state assembly. She represented Lucknow Cantt.

"I was very upset over the Congress party's response on surgical strike and Rahul Gandhi's 'Khoon ki dalali' remarks," Joshi told the mediapersons.

Attacking Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Joshi further said that when Congress president Sonia Gandhi was at the helm she would at least pay heed to her words.

Highlights

# Rita Bahuguna hailed the Indian Army's September 29 surgical strikes in Pakistani territory. “It was a big accomplishment of the government along with that of the army".

# Rita was very upset over Congress response on surgical strike and Rahul Gandhi's khoon ki dalali remarks.

# Earlier, MLA Rita Bahuguna Joshi's brother Vijay rejected speculations about his sister joining BJP.